Cement conditioner for well walls



Sept. .8, 1959 w. E. COYLE 2,903,073

' CEMENT CONDITIONER FOR WELL WALLS Filed llarch 28, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I'M E00 Z6 INVENTOR I I l r ATTORNEYS.

Sept. 8, 1959 w. E. COYLE 2,903,073

CEMENT CONDITIONER FOR WELL WALLS Filed March 28, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 NTOR BY fl 1 ATTORNEYS United States Patent CEMENT CONDITIONER FOR WELL WALLS William E. Coyle, Cotton Valley, La., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Gem Oil Tool Company, Inc., Houma, La., a corporation of Louisiana Application March 28, 1957, Serial No. 649,174

13 Claims. (Cl. 166-172) This invention relates to a cement conditioner for well walls, and has particular adaptability to oil Well construction and the positioning of cement plugs therein.

A primary object of this invention is the provision of an improved expansible cement conditioner and wall cake remover adapted to be secured to the well casing, and so arranged and constructed that it may be lowered into the well in inoperative or contracted position, and upon withdrawal of the casing will expand into contact with the walls either to remove wall cake or deposits from the wall of the well or to act on the cement to force the cement against the periphery of the well bore or wall, and into any cracks or apertures therein.

An additional object of the invention is the provision of a device of this character having feeler wires extending radially and angularly from the top of the conditioning element and normally in contact with the Well wall upon the lowering of the casing thereinto, to serve as a guide for the element, but so inclined as to engage in the walls upon withdrawal of the casing, offering a returning efiect to the withdrawal of the element, and consequent expansion of the body thereof into contact with the well wall or the cement liner therefor.

A further object of the invention is the provision of an expansible and contractable device of this character which is made of resilient heavy wire, the wires being "ice Figure 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially along the line 55 of Figure 4 as viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken substantially along. the line 66 of Figure 4 as viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Figure 7 is a top plan view of the lower band of the device, before assembly with the other elements.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

Having reference now to the drawings in detail, the device of the instant invention, generally indicated at 10 includes an upper band 11, a lower band 12, and a plurality of helically disposed resilient wires 13 extending between the bands 11 and 12, and secured thereto in a manner to be more fully described hereinafter.

The upper sleeve 11 is adapted to slide freely on a well casing C adapted to be inserted or lowered into a well W, and is surrounded by a wire ring 14, about which the upper portions of wires 13 are coiled or looped to form connector eyes as indicated at 15. The coils or loops 15 are adapted to seat in eye locating formations which, as shown in the drawings, are constituted by circularly spaced apart coil receiving sockets or openings 16 extending through sleeve 11, and serve as additional retaining means for the ring 14. The ring 14 may be otherwise secured about the sleeve 11 in any desired manner, as by welding or the like.

The upper extremities of each wire 13 beyond each coil 15 terminate in or have integral lever extensions to afford radially disposed upwardly extending fingers 17 which are of a length and angular disposition normally to contact the wall W of the well.

The lower extremity of each wire 13 terminates in a coil or attachment eye 18 similar to coil 15, which surrounds or has threaded therethrough a coil retainer wire arranged in helical position between upper and lower rings positioned about the well casing.

A further object of the invention is the provision of such a device wherein one of the rings, preferably the lower, is securely affixed to the Well casing and the other ring is slidable thereupon to permit expansion and contraction of the helical wires.

Still another object of the invention is the provision of a device of this character which is sturdy and durable in construction, reliable and efiicient in operation, and relatively simple and inexpensive to manufacture, assemble and utilize.

Still other objects reside in the combinations of elements, arrangements of parts, and features of construction, all as will be more fully pointed out hereinafter and shown in the accompanying drawings wherein there is disclosed a preferred embodiment of this inventive concept.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of one form of device embodying features of the instant invention, shown in contracted or lowering position secured about a well casing, within a well hole or bore, the casing and hole being indicated in dotted lines.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the device in the position shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken substantially along the line 3-3 of Figure 1 as viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Figure 4 is a side elevational view of the device as shown in Figure 1 but showing the parts in expanded or operative condition.

ring or annulus 19 positioned about the sleeve 12, each coil seating in or being received by a co-operating eye locating formation such as an aperture 20 cut through sleeve 12. The extending ends 21 beyond coils 18 seat flush against the outer surface of the sleeve 12, to preclude twisting or turning of coils 18 on ring 19.

The sleeve 12 is adapted to be fixed to casing C as by means of set screws 22 which extend through suitable threaded bores in sleeve 12 releasably to engage with desired peripheral points of the exterior of easing C.

From the foregoing the use and operation of the device should now be readily understandable. The lower sleeve 12 is fitted over a suitable point on casing C and fixed thereto by means of set screws 22, the sleeve 11 also surrounding the casing, but being free to slide thereon. The normal resiliency of helically arranged wires 13 serves normally to hold the rings 11 and 12 in spaced relation in the position shown in Figure l. The fingers 17 are of sufiicient length to extend radially in an upwardly inclined direction into contact with the wall W of the well. The casing C is then lowered to a desired extent. Upon withdrawal of the casing, for the purpose of, for example, removing the cake from the interior of the Walls the upper ends of fingers 17 are forced outwardly into contact with the wall W at spaced points about the periphery thereof, and upon the withdrawal of easing C the pressure thus effected causes increased drag and frictional braking resistance to upward movement of sleeve 11 and a consequent decrease in axial spacing between the motion checked sleeve 11 and the upwardly moving sleeve 12 results in radial expansion or an increased outward bowing of the wires 13 into contact with the wall W in the position as shown in Figure 4. In this position the wires 13 scrape against the walls, and effectively. remove the cake or other foreign matter from the interior thereof.

When the device is adapted for the conditioning of a cement plug or a liner, the well casing having the attachment secured thereto is lowered as previously described, and cement slowly passed downwardly through casing C in the usual manner. As the cement rises the casing is gradually withdrawn, effecting the above described expansion of the wires 13, which passing through the cement thoroughtly mix the same, to insure an even distribution thereof about all sides of the casing, and at the same time force the cement outwardly into any cracks or irregularities in the wall W.

From the foregoing it will now be seen that there is herein provided an improved cement conditioner and cake remover for well walls, which accomplishes all of the objects of this invention, and many others, including advantages of great practical utility and commercial importance.

As many embodiments may be made of this inventive concept, and as many modifications may be made in the embodiment hereinbefore shown and described, it is to be understood that all matter herein is to be interpreted merely as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

What is claimed is:

1. In a cement conditioning attachment for well casings in combination, a lower sleeve mounted on the outside of a well casing to partake of movement therewith, an upper sleeve slidable on said casing, each sleeve having a plurality of spaced peripheral apertures therein, an upper ring and a lower ring fixed to and surrounding said upper and lower sleeves respectively in horizontal alignment with their respective apertures, a plurality of resil ient Wire members each formed with an upper and a lower coil respectively, surrounding said upper and lower rings and each fitting in an aperture in its associated sleeve, and each wire member projecting between its upper and lower coils in an outwardly bowed and helical direction and being adapted to expand radially upon relative movement of said sleeves toward one another and motion transmitting means connected with the upper sleeve and adapted to engage with the wall of a well bore for effecting such relative movement upon upward casing movement in a well bore.

2. The structure of claim 1 wherein each wire terminates above its upper coil in a radially extending finger of a length adapted to contact the well wall and to constitute said motion transmitting means.

3. The structure of claim 2 wherein said fingers are inclined upwardly and outwardly biased by their adjacent spring coils whereby upward movement of said casing occasions resistance of the wall against said finger to check said upper sleeve against upward movement with the easing and said lower sleeve to expand said wires.

4. The structure of claim 3 wherein said lower sleeve has casing connector means comprising a plurality of spaced set screws extending through threaded bores in said lower sleeve.

5. In a cement conditioning attachment for well casings in combination, a lower sleeve, means locating said lower sleeve on the casing for transmitting casing travel to the lower sleeve during installation of the casing in a well bore, an upper sleeve slidable on the casing and responsive to thrust in effecting relative travel of the sleeves toward one another, well bore engageable means connected with the upper sleeve to transmit thrust thereto upon upward casing travel, a plurality of resilient spring members extending between and having connections with the upper and lower sleeves and being arranged in their lengths between said connections to bow outwardly from the casing upon relative travel of the sleeves toward one another, at least one of the connections of each spring member with one of the sleeves comprising a portion of the spring member coiled upon itself to form an eye, an eye locating formation in the sleeve to seat the coiled eye portion and a retainer wire fitting the sleeve and extending through said coiled eye portion to maintain the same in seating relation with said locating formation.

6. A well bore scraper unit for attachment to a tubular well device to be cemented in the bore, said scraper including a first sleeve to be fitted on and to partake of movement directly transmitted from such tubular device, a second sleeve arranged to be loosely fitted on said tubular device for relative axial slide travel thereon relative to the first sleeve, well bore engageable means connected with said second sleeve and active to effect said relative slide travel in response to tubular device movement in one direction, a plurality of outwardly bowed spring strips extending between and tying said sleeves to one another and being responsive to relative axial travel of said sleeves to vary the extent of outward bowing to and from bore scraping positions, the tie connection between each spring strip and at least one of said sleeves including a coiled eye portion of the spring strip, an eye portion locating formation on the adjoining sleeve and a retainer wire passing through the eye portion in co-operative relation with said locating formation.

7. The structure of claim 6 wherein the means to effect relative sleeve slide travel comprises an integral lever extension projected radially outwardly from a coiled eye portion of a spring strip for a length to contact with the well bore wall.

8. In a bore wall scraper unit for attachment to a well device, a first sleeve for slidable fitment on a well device, a second sleeve, means on the second sleeve for the transfer thereto of well device travel and a series of spring strips having outwardly bowed portions extended on helical lines between and joined in circularly spaced relation to said sleeves for increased outward bowing action in response to relative movement of said sleeves toward one another, certain of said spring strips also having terminal portions projected radially outwardly beyond said first sleeve for a length to contact the bore wall in all relative positions of the sleeves and through which the relative movements of the sleeves are controllably effected.

9. In a bore wall scraper unit for attachment to a well device, a pair of spaced apart coaxial sleeves arranged for relative movement toward and from one another, a series of outwardly bowed spring strips extended on helical lines between and joined to said sleeves for response to relative sleeve movement which varies their bow curvature means to transmit well device travel to one of the sleeves and a spring finger carried by the other of the sleeves and projected radially outwardly at an oblique angle to the sleeve axis for a length to contact with the bore wall for a one-way clutching action in controlling relative sleeve movement.

10. The structure of claim 9 wherein each bowed spring strip has an integral coil in the region of each sleeve and the sleeves each have peripheral sockets to receive and locate said coils and coil retainer wires are fitted concentrically to the sleeves and threaded through the coils to effect the joining of the sleeves and the spring strips.

11. A structure of claim 9 wherein each bowed spring has a connector eye in the region of a sleeve and said sleeve has eye joining connections including for each eye a retaining insert threaded through the eye and an eye bearing abutment cooperating with the insert in holding the eye against displacement in a direction axially thereof.

12. An attachment for well casings for conditioning the wall of a well bore in a cementing operation, said attachment comprising upper and lower sleeves, casing engageable means on one sleeve active to transmit casing movement thereto, well bore wall engageabie means carried by said other sleeve and active in response to casing movement in one direction to resist movement of said other sleeve with such casing movement and thereby effect relative movement of said sleeves toward one another, a series of spring scraper elements having connection with both sleeves and extending in circularly spaced helical paths therebetween, each for a length to bow outwardly into wall scraping relation upon relative movement of the sleeves toward one another and said scraper elements each having a portion coiled upon itself at the terminal of the helical length thereof, coil receiving and locating sockets circularly spaced apart in each sleeve and retainer insert means mounted on the sleeve and extended through the several coiled portions to hold them in said sockets.

13. A bore wall scraper assembly for attachment to a well device, including a first sleeve, well device engaging means on said sleeve which when in use is active in transmitting longitudinal movement of the well device to said sleeve, a second sleeve longitudinally spaced from and movable toward and from the first sleeve, a spring finger carried by and projected radially outwardly from said second sleeve at an oblique angle to the axis thereof for a length to have drag contact with the wall of a well bore when in use, and a series of outwardly bowed flexible scraper strips extended on helical lines between and joined to said sleeves for response to movement of said sleeves toward one another by a radial increase of bow curvature and for response to movement of said sleeves away from each other by a radial decrease of bow curvature to a bore wall clearance position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,258,052 Hall Oct. '7, 1941 2,298,985 Still et al Oct. 13, 1942 2,685,931 Baker et al. Aug. 10, 1954 2,731,816 Hall Jan. 24, 1956 2,826,253 Wright et a1 Mar. 11, 1958 

1. IN A CEMENT CONDITIONING ATTACHMENT FOR WELL CASINGS IN COMBINATION, A LOWER SLEEVE MOUNTED ON THE OUTSIDE OF A WELL CASING TO PARTAKE OF MOVEMENT THEREWITH, AN UPPER SLEEVE SLIDABLE ON SAID CSING, EACH SLEEVE HAVING A PLURALITY OF SPACED PERIPHERAL APERTURES THEREIN, AN UPPER RING AND A LOWER RING FIXED TO AND SURROUND SAID UPPER AND LOWER SLEEVES RESPECTIVELY IN HORIZONTAL ALIGNMENT WITH THEIR RESPECTIVE APERTURES, A PLURALITY OF RESILIENT WIRE MEMBERS EACH FORMED WITH AN UPPER AND LOWER LOWER COIL RESPECTIVELY, SURROUNDING SAID UPPER AND LOWER RINGS AND EACH FITTING IN AN APERATURE IN ITS ASSOCIATED SLEEVE, AND EACH WIRE MEMBER PROJECTING BETWEEN ITS 